Green Bay Packers: 5 offseason needs in 2020
By Matt Graves
1. Inside Linebacker
To fix the run defense, the Packers must focus on the middle of the defense. It’s now or never for Green Bay to address this issue. The Packers came into the offseason with an open hole at inside linebacker.
Last season, the team spent money on three defenders; Za’Darius and Preston Smith and safety Adrian Amos. Green Bay is tight on the salary cap even after the team signed free agent Christian Kirksey from the Browns. Kirksey signed a two-year, $13 million deal to play for the green and gold. The Packer’s top target, Cory Littleton, agreed to a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Currently, Kirksey, Ty Summers, Curtis Bolton and Oren Banks are the only inside linebackers on the depth chart. Those linebackers all suffered injuries in the past two seasons, though players like Banks have shown to be promising for the future.
Since the team is strapped for cash, it would be wise for Gutekunst to look at the draft for options to fill the void. If the Packers can improve at this position before the season starts, their defense could be on the way to a steady rebuild at inside linebacker.